In its ongoing effort to bring innovative ideas to education and North Idaho, the University of Idaho Coeur d'Alene is about to launch a series of short courses called "Microcredentials."

Developed by U of I CDA CEO Charles Buck, Microcredentials will allow individuals to enhance professional skills, improve workflow and position themselves for advancement in almost any sector.

“As the University of Idaho Coeur d’Alene strives to bring transformative education to our communities, we’re excited to share the start of Microcredentials," Buck said. "These expert-led short courses deliver relevant workforce skills with long-term value. Microcredentials are for anybody looking to gain skills, get more out of their current careers or lay the foundation to launch into something new. Participants can earn digital badges and start stacking credentials as they expand their skill sets."

Whether it's to become more effective in a current role or to expand skillsets for a new position, Microcredential courses are designed to help people get closer to their goals.

With a commitment of just eight to 10 hours, those enrolled in Microcredentials can expect to: experience rapid and relevant workforce skills training; engage with subject-matter experts and fellow learners; increase personal productivity; and identify areas for improvement.

"Our community needs people to do important work in industrial technology, data science and cybersecurity," Buck said. "While U of I offers local degrees in those fields, we also know the need is now to grow these valuable skills however we can."

Upon successful completion, each Microcredential participant will earn a unique badge. This digital badge verifies completion of the expert-led course and can be shared on resumes, email signatures, LinkedIn or additional platforms.

The first Microcredential courses will be offered this winter into 2021. The U of I Coeur d'Alene is planning a speaker series to complement the center’s new Microcredential learning platform.

Fill out a survey at www.uidaho.edu/cda/outreach/microcredentials/survey to share what topics/subjects you are interested in learning more about.

Info and to register: www.uidaho.edu/microcred

This story has been updated.